UPDATE (Wednesday, May 13) - The Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office announced this week that Mitchell Grote has been charged with aggravated mayhem, assault upon a peace officer, battery on a peace officer causing injury, resisting an executive officer through force, and resisting, obstructing or delaying peace officers during the course of their duties. He also faces special allegations for personal use of a dangerous or deadly weapon and personal infliction of great bodily injury.
Grote has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is currently being held without bail.
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(Friday, May 8, 2026) - A Santa Barbara police officer was injured Friday morning after a suspect armed with what appeared to be a handgun opened fire during an attempted contact in a shopping area, authorities said.
The incident began around 9:50 a.m. in the 100 block of South La Cumbre Road when an officer approached a suspect, according to Santa Barbara police.
Investigators said the suspect walked away before turning and firing several shots. The officer returned fire once.
Police later determined the officer was hit in the head by a projectile from a pellet or BB gun. The officer was treated at a hospital and later released.
According to police, the suspect was not injured during the exchange. Authorities said he tried to run away and attempted to barricade himself nearby before officers took him into custody.
The suspect was identified as 30-year-old Mitchell Grant Grote, who was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer.
Witnesses described a tense and chaotic scene as officers confronted the suspect.
“Well, I was sitting in my office and you could hear sirens, and I could hear policemen yelling ‘drop the gun,’” said Nancy Newquist-Nolan, a realtor who has an office nearby.
Employees at Inclusive Arts Clubhouse, located a short distance away, said they immediately initiated lockdown procedures after seeing officers with weapons drawn.
“We were kind of just watching from here. There was a group of cops with guns and they were yelling at the guy, and we ran back in and locked up,” said Morgan Peterson of Inclusive Arts Clubhouse. “Yeah, it was crazy, a good reminder to have safety precautions in place.”
Newquist-Nolan said the incident was frightening for those nearby.
“It was like oh my gosh,” she said. “I mean, because I do think about being in the mall and there being a shooting and it is scary, and I didn’t know whether to sit here or all the way back.”
Court records show Grote had previously been arrested in 2023 in connection with a stabbing case.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office is leading the investigation into the police shooting.
